Interviews: Co-Op, Crafting, and More with Mitch Gitelman

Necropolis is an upcoming Action Game with roguelike trappings, akin to the ever-popular games Dark Souls and Bloodborne. But Necropolis approaches the genre with a bit more humor, a little more irreverence, and a lot more dynamically generated dungeon romping. Read on for our interview with Harebrained Schemes’ Co-Founder and Studio Manager, Mitch Gitelman.

advertisement

Due to launch on St. Patrick’s Day (March 17th) on the PC, Necropolis will undoubtedly please fans of hardcore, unscripted, and “we-don’t-hold-your-hand” RPGs. I’ve played the game on a few occasions, and can attest that while it’s not quite as brutally punishing as Dark Souls and games of its ilk, that’s a good thing. The cel-shaded but comfortably dark atmosphere insinuates an altogether more welcoming game. You’ll still die, possibly often, but because of the aesthetic and the Brazen Head NPC that guides you through the Necropolis, you probably won’t break your mouse or controller in frustration.

What makes the game stand out to us, especially at a site primarily dedicated to MMOs and multiplayer RPGs, is that Necropolis has managed to sneak in Co-Op before launching in a few months. According to Gitelman, “It’s very chill, drop-in and drop-out.” You can start a game together, or join a friend already in progress. To make things more enticing, if you have to disconnect and quit for dinner or to go see The Force Awakens for the 900th time, you’ll be able to save your progress individually and pick up where you left off. So none of your time playing, solo or in a group, is wasted time. Of course, you could also join a friend who’s down deep in the Necropolis, but you’ll have to work your way to him and he will have to fight his way back to help you. No shortcuts in this hell.

Right now co-op is only over Steam, though couch co-op and the like is a “maybe one day” thing they’d like to add down the road. Eventually, Gitelman says, “You just have to ship a project and stop trying to add features or the thing will never be done.”

Additionally, the team has been hard at work since our PAX Prime hands-on last year, adding in a full crafting system, NPC shops, and Codices that give you info and perhaps other secrets of the Necropolis as you adventure. Every time you die and return, the entire dungeon re-shuffles and is procedurally generated, so no two attempts will ever be the same. The only way out of the Necropolis is down, and you’ll be spending a lot of time with the Brazen Head, the caretaker appointed by Archmage Abraxis, and he’ll be giving you tasks and admonishing you (lovingly I’m sure) the entire way.

Naturally, a game like Necropolis seems like a superb fit for XB1 and PS4, but Mitch couldn’t do much more than give me a “maaaaaaaybe” on the phone when we talked. There are plans for additional post-launch DLC though with things like new terrain, new enemies and new adventurers being at the top of the HBS team’s design wants.

William Murphy /
Bill is the Managing Editor of MMORPG.com, and lover of all things gaming. He's been playing and writing about MMOs and geekery since 2002. Be sure to follow him on Twitter for all of his pointless rambling.